Did you ever notice that North Street runs in an east-west direction? It does not make sense, until you go way back when Susanville was first surveyed. There you find the answer to this perplexing issue. You see, North Street was most northern street in the town. The same thing happened in the 1920s with an adjoining subdivision to the south, in which South Street became the most southern street.
Looking east on North Street from Weatherlow during the 1938 flood. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal
In addition, when North Street was laid out, it ended at Weatherlow Street. It was not until 1910 when it was extended to connect with Halltown to the east.
Tim
P.S. – This is an old post from March 2015. This morning’s post appeared, I did not receive a notification. So I am doing a test this afternoon, to if it is functioning or not.
Susanville, 1905. Courtesy of Dick & Helen Harrison
In 1910, with no substantial proof that a railroad was coming to Susanville, some of the powers to be thought the town could use a makeover. In February, the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce thought the town had a image problem. In their opinion, the town’s name should be changed with something of a more cosmopolitan flair. This was, of course, a delicate maneuver, since the town’s matriarch and namesake, Susan Roop Arnold, was still a resident of the community and had been for forty-six years. The Chamber advised her that it did not mean to be disrespectful, but felt changing the City’s name would be in the best interest of the community. The Chamber believed the town was destined to become an important city and that with name of with suffix “ville” carried a stigma, as being associated with a hamlet or village.
The City Trustees listened to Chamber’s proposal. They decided to postpone it until the March meeting. The Trustee’s appointed a committee to provide a propose name change. The group were not very creative and the best they could come up was Lassen. They cited that if the Lassen name was adopted, very few changes would have to be made. Numerous businesses and organizations had already incorporated the name into their respective establishments. The City said no, end of story.
Fruit Growers Supply Company is a non-profit purchasing agent co-operative of Sunkist. The latter is a marketing co-operative of citrus growers. There was a time when fruit and vegetables were shipped in wooden boxes, that is another story. Fruit Growers, as it is known entered the lumber business reluctantly to manufacture wooden boxes for their member owned citrus growers.
One of Fruit Growers earliest lessons learned was the value of employees. To retain a reliable/skilled workforce amenities were provided to prevent labor turnover. When Fruit Growers mill opened its Susanville mill in 1921, they were in hopes the town would provide such. Susanville had been so overwhelmed by its short term growth, that it was just too much.
The movie theater in the Story Club, 1923. It was used by many religious denominations for services. Courtesy of Fruit Growers Supply Company.
While Fruit Growers would provide housing and a hospital, that was not enough. In 1922, they had a three-story recreational building constructed on their premises. Susanville had never experienced a facility like this. Of the many attractions inside the building was a theater that could seat 450 people. It was a multi-purpose room that served as a ballroom and other forms of entertainment—including indoor baseball which I do not know how that operated. The place boasted a billiard room, a restaurant, soda fountain, and a library. The place was named the Story Club, after an influential member of Sunkist who donated the initial stock for the library.
The billiard room, Story Club, Susanville, 1923. Courtesy of the Fruit Growers Supply Company
On the north side of the building there was a children’s playground. The Story Club was destroyed by fire in 1944. Times had changed, and Fruit Growers converted the site into a park known as Riverside.
Desmond Meadows, 1906. Courtesy of Betty Barry Deal
On January 22, 1859, Malcolm S. Scott claimed the meadows along Piute Creek, west of Susanville, that he named Spring Valley. Scott later abandoned his claim and the claim was taken over by Emanuel Brannon during the following year. Interest in the meadows fell by the wayside until 1873, when Robert M. Bean took possession of the meadows. Somewhere along the banks of Piute Creek, between Desmond Meadows and Susanville, Bean established the first brick kiln yard in Lassen County. In the year 1878, Bean manufactured 130,000 bricks. Hard times quickly fell upon him. Because of his creditors and the death of his wife, Alice, Bean sold the meadows to Jonathon Lovell, a Susanville blacksmith. Ownership of the meadows changed hands numerous times during the early 1880s. In 1886, it was purchased by John and Hannah Desmond from M. C. Bishop for $1,500. Married life for the Desmonds was not pleasant. In 1890, the couple separated and Hannah remained at the meadows. For the next ten years, to support herself and her family, Hannah operated a firewood business. The County of Lassen was one of her major customers, purchasing eighty cords annually at a $1.50 per cord. On November 19, 1900, Desmond sold the meadows to Anton Bantly for $2,000.
Thanks to Dave Bricker who figured out the Hamburger Shack location. It was on the west side of Sierra Theater, which can be seen in the above photograph.
Sierra Pacific Mill—Lassen County Times, December 18, 2003.
On December 11, 2003, Ed Bond, spokesman for the Sierra Pacific Industries announced the Susanville mill would close some time in early 2004. Bond stated a number of issues that led to the closure. One, of course, was a lack of available timber. It was noted that in 1990 the Lassen National Forest sold 108 million board feet of timber and by 2002 that number had dropped to 17.9 million board feet. Those who have an affiliation in this industry, were not surprised by the closure. Actually, many and my self included were amazed that it had not happened years earlier.
The community reaction was all doom and gloom. Fast forward nearly twenty years later, with the closure of the California Correctional Center and the commentary is the same. Guess what, the town has not shriveled up and blown away.
Tim
Note for the record: The mill closed down on May 3, 2004 and portions of the mill dismantled. One of the features that still remain is the water tower, which found a new life as a cell tower.
This was an interesting photograph by C.H. Bennett of the Secret Valley CCC Camp. The only thing I know is what Bennett wrote was Mary Buckner, was the owner. I have no idea where it was located, but in. background is a two-story cement building, that I am unable to place. Label this post as a work in progress.
October 7, 1937–C.H. Bennett Collection
Fortunately, Susanville still has its own “hamburger shack” known today as the Frosty Mill on North Ash Street. The food is great, prices you can not beat. Something one does hear much about, the establishment is now in its third generation of ownership.
The former Compton House,North Weatherlow Street, Susanville—Jere Baker
Compton Park name implies it is a recreational facility, when in a fact it is a small housing tract. It is located along Chestnut and Weatherlow Streets. On November 1st, 1945 the Compton family took possession of the 110-acre Taylor Ranch, which comprised a region on North Weatherlow Street. It was soon after that, Claude Compton and his son James began to subdivide the property for homesites. It did garner attention, as it was the first subdivision in Susanville since 1922. On January 15, 1946 the Compton Park subdivision was approved containing twenty-three lots.
In January 1908, the Rev. N.M. Parsons of the Susanville Methodist Church began the first official prohibition movement in the town. The issue had informally been discussed since the early 1880s when there was a local chapter of the Women’s ChristianTemperance Union. Parson began his campaign by focusing on the social ills caused by alcohol. He circulated petitions to have the issue placed on the next municipal election ballot, scheduled for April 11, 1908. The City Trustees accepted Parsons’ petitions and placed the matter before the voters. There was one stipulation: it would be an advisory measure as to whether saloons should be banned.
It was a widely debated topic. The 1908 budget for the town was $3,498. There were two main revenue sources. One was the property tax assessment and it generated $1,815. The other was the liquor licenses which provided $1,424 to the town’s treasury. The town was operating on very lean times, with no spare funds for civic improvements.
Once thse figures were revealed, Parsons’ ballot measure was doomed. After all, if the City lost the money generated from liquor licenses, the only alternative to make up for the loss would be to increase property taxes. That appeared to be the voter’s consensus. The issue generated the highest voter turnout to date with 157 votes cast. The results: 110 votes to remain “wet” and 47 “dry.”
The following account appeared in the Lassen Advocate’s Christmas Edition of December 14, 1923 that I thought some people may find of interest.
”About two years ago a small band of stray Elks got together in Susanville and decided that to properly carry out the wonderful principles of Elkdom a campaign would have to be launched to increase the little band’s numbers. This was done and a class of about forty good fellows were then taken into the Reno Lodge. A year later another class was taken in about the same size.
”Shortly after this the Antlers Club was organized and this property was purchased for the Antlers Clubhouse. The general plan of the building and the wonderful location, together with street improvements made it an ideal proposition to the purpose. It is admired by all city visitors and lately has become the social center of any events of the County.
”The fondest dreams of the members of the Antlers Club are about to be realized by turning their clubhouse into a Elks home. A charter has been applied for to the Grand Exalted Ruler, and has 162 members that are located here have signed the petition agreeing that as soon as the charter for a lodge in Susanville to demit from the Lodge which they belong and become charter members of a Susanville Lodge. In addition, about 100 good fellows are ready to join the herd.”
